5 best leadership quotes of all time

Leadership quotes are hard to come by. Especially as ‘leadership’ is a rather mysterious concept. What makes a great leader? How can leadership be carried out properly? We are looking to some of the best leaders of all time for inspiration and advice.

Here are 5 of the best leadership quotes. You don’t want to miss these.

1. Winston Churchill

No list of leadership quotes would be complete without the input of Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill flunked school and as a teenager he was reportedly one of the lowest performing students in his year. However he still managed to lead, and steer, British parliament through tough times in his role as Prime Minister. Which he did not just once, but twice.

“The nation will find it very hard to look up to the leaders who are keeping their ears to the ground” — Sir Winston Churchill

2. Aristotle

Ok, you might be thinking what can Aristotle possible know about the dog-eat-dog modern business world. He was too busy formulating the building blocks of deductive logic, right? Well, you will be surprised. His advice rings so true today.

“He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander” — Aristotle

3. Bill Gates

Bill Gates first got into computer programming when he was 13. He went on to found Microsoft and lead one of the most successful organisations of the 21st Century. Gates bragged to his school teachers that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 30. He was a billionaire by 31. Leadership is certainly one thing we can look to Gates for advice on.

“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others” — Bill Gates

4. Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci was so much more than a triple threat. Invention, sculpting, painting, architecture, science…the list goes on. And on. He was a success story, and a leader in many fields. His advice is invaluable and this quote feels more relevant than ever in our fast-paced working lives.

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.” —Leonardo da Vinci

5. Mark Zuckerberg

Ok, so we’re a little bit obsessed with Zuckerberg’s career. But then, who isn’t? He is a leadership guru – there’s no doubt about that. Having built up one of the most successful tech businesses of all time, he knows a thing or two about hiring and managing a large team. Here is what he has to say about hiring the right people –

“We look for people who are passionate about something. In a way, it almost doesn’t matter what you’re passionate about. What we really look for when we’re interviewing people is what they’ve shown an initiative to do on their own.” — Mark Zuckerberg